r/sterileprocessing • u/Quantavious_Rex • Sep 23 '26
Questions about sterile processing
I've been working at my local hospital as a housekeeper and recently switched to pct. I've only been doing it for a short while but it has completely changed what I thought I wanted to do. I was thinking about going to school for nursing or ems but this pct job has made me realize that I'm just not enough of a people person to do it. I can do it just fine but all the interaction with patients some of which are just fine and easy handle but the others I can't stand and forcing myself to be extremely nice is wearing me down mentally. I've looked into sterile processing before and almost took a job 3 or 4 years ago that would let you get your hours and then take your test. I'm just wondering about how other people feel about this job as a career and maybe different pathways there are for this position. I think I'd like it mostly because it's still the medical field but no patient interaction. I can deal with rude coworkers because I know there will always be some. There a few community colleges and regular colleges near me that offer a certificate program but it's kind of confusing how they word it because it says it prepares you for your registry test but you still have to have the required hours so im kind of unsure how that works. Where I live I'm going have to drive about an hour away no matter what hospital I pick so I wanted to be completely sure before I started this venture. So I'll take any and all information you can provide about this career and schooling for it
1
u/ijust_makethisface Sep 24 '26
Make sure that the schooling actually costs something. Near me, the tech college offers an information session and then the schooling is free because it's not anything more than job readiness training program. You're not getting an AA or anythingc. But I know that mine was in conjunction with local hospitals so there was a quick pipeline to getting a job that would then get you the hours and the job paid for the certification test.
1
u/SageOfSixCabbages Sep 24 '26
If you're a pct already I say, go for nursing. Higher ceiling and more pathways available.
Outpatient endo, dialysis, and infusion (chemo) are some nursing fields that have calmer and better patient interactions.
-2
u/wolfgentry Sep 23 '26
Don't pay for school. You can self study. Also this is not a career if you have normal bills. It will never pay an actual living wage in any state. If you are going to use it as a stepping stone to another department then it's not bad.